Strengthening EU–Mediterranean cooperation on sustainable food systems

On 9 September 2026, CIHEAM Bari convened a Mediterranean Breakfast Dialogue in Brussels, bringing together representatives of different organisations for an informal exchange on the future of cooperation between the European Union and Mediterranean countries. 

The meeting was opened by Biagio di Terlizzi, Director of CIHEAM Bari, and centred on a moderated roundtable led by Eduardo Cuoco, Director of IFOAM Organics Europe.

The discussion addressed two central questions: 

1. what priorities should guide future EU cooperation with Mediterranean countries on sustainable agriculture and food systems, and 
2. where stronger cooperation among European institutions, international organisations and Mediterranean partners could create the greatest added value. 

Against the backdrop of shared challenges across the Mediterranean—from climate change and natural-resource pressures to the need for more resilient and sustainable food systems—the dialogue provided a space to identify common priorities and potential areas for joint action.

A key purpose of the meeting was therefore to identify areas of convergence for future cooperation and explore how better coordination among international organisations, cooperation actors and Mediterranean partners could translate into concrete added value. The format, combining a focused roundtable with informal bilateral exchanges, also provided an opportunity to build relationships and identify possible follow-up collaboration around sustainable agriculture and food systems in the Mediterranean.

Interview

Interview with Claudi BOGLIOTTI of BARI CIHEAM. SUSTLIVES is an EU-funded agricultural project under the DeSIRA initiative focused on improving local crop patrimony, livelihoods, and ecosystems in Burkina Faso and Niger. This project was extended through AgrEcoNUS+ https://capacity4dev.europa.eu/media/...

SUSTLIVES (Sustaining and Improving Local Crop Patrimony in Burkina Faso and Niger for Better Lives and Ecosystems) was an EU-funded project under the DeSIRA (Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture) initiative, implemented from 2021 with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and CIHEAM Bari. Working in Burkina Faso and Niger, it promoted sustainable and climate-resilient food systems by bringing neglected and underutilized species (NUS) back into research, production, diets and markets. Its approach combined conservation of local agrobiodiversity with stronger NUS value chains, research and innovation capacity within Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), and participatory work with farmers and other stakeholders. Particular attention was given to food and nutrition security, rural livelihoods, and economic opportunities for women and young people.

The experience and approaches developed through SUSTLIVES are being taken further through AgrEcoNUS+ (Agroecological Transition and Community Resilience through Neglected and Underutilized Species in Africa). Rather than treating NUS merely as “forgotten crops,” this follow-on initiative places them within a broader agroecological transition and resilience agenda, linking agrobiodiversity, food sovereignty, ecosystem sustainability and equitable market opportunities. AgrEcoNUS+ therefore provides an avenue for scaling lessons generated by SUSTLIVES beyond its original Burkina Faso–Niger focus and strengthening collaboration around African opportunity crops and resilient food systems across the Sahel and wider Africa.

Forthcoming:

25 November 2026. Bari, Italy. AU-EU Innovation fair - focus on food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture

• The event will run as a full-day hybrid programme (9:00 am – 7:00 pm), combining:
• High-level policy sessions;
• Two-minute innovation pitches from selected R&I projects and start-ups;
• An exhibition and matchmaking space featuring innovative solutions, investors, business support organisations and research initiatives;
• Awards for outstanding start-ups and SMEs;
• Other networking opportunities.